Vehicle safety system with deployable lateral restraints

ABSTRACT

This invention is a vehicle safety system which provides lateral passenger restraint for certain accident events. The invention consist of lateral occupant restraints which are deployed in response to an indication that an appropriate event has occurred.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

Not Applicable

FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH

Not Applicable

SEQUENCE LISTING

Not Applicable

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to vehicle safety, particularly for automobilesand light trucks, but is also applicable to heavy vehicles or aircraft.The system of this invention will provide increased occupant protectionin the event of a rollover accident or side impact accident, or othersituations where safety is enhanced by reducing lateral motion of theoccupant.

Safety devices, such as side air curtains, are currently used invehicles to prevent lateral occupant motion. However, current safetydevices of this type are only positioned on the door or outboard side ofthe occupant, and tend to allow considerable lateral motion. Foropposite side impacts, lateral restraint is highly desirable on theinboard side. Moreover lateral restraint on the outboard side that moreclosely connects the occupant to the structure of the vehicle has beenshown to be effective.

Fixed lateral restraints have been proposed as comfort enhancing devicesfor high performance vehicles to keep occupants centered during highspeed turns. However the need for lateral safety devices thatautomatically deploy before or during certain types of accidents iscritical to achieving enhanced occupant protection. It has been shownthat lateral restraints provide significant advantage for obliqueimpacts, up to nearly 90 degrees as the occupant is kept in a positionwhere the safety belts and air restraints are effective. Without lateralrestraint, the occupant rotates to the side such that the belt andairbag provide much less benefit. For impacts at angles greater than 90degrees lateral restraints are effective at preventing the occupant fromstriking vehicle structures. Side restraints also bring the occupant torest faster by providing a connection to the vehicle, dissipating thecollision imparted velocities at the vehicle “ride down curve”, whichoften results in lower trauma impacts if the occupant does strike a partof the vehicle. In addition, for rollover accidents, lateral restraintswill prevent the occupant form being ejected from the seat to the side.Despite the increased safety provided by lateral restraints, they havenot been used to date because no one has solved the problems ofincorporating effective safety restraints that still allow for normaloperation of the vehicle, such as getting in and out of the seat. Thecurrent invention addresses the need for lateral occupant restraint in amanner that can be applied and used.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention is a safety system for a vehicle, consisting of a seat andat least one sensor for detecting a condition requiring deployment ofsafety devices. The invention uses at least one lateral restraint. Inresponse to a signal from the sensor, a side restraint is deployed on atleast one side of the seat to restrain the seat occupant from beingdisplaced laterally.

In the preferred embodiment the lateral restraint is deployed by beingrotated into position such that after deployment, the restraint servesas a side barrier. The restraint may also be deployed by being movedlaterally until it is in contact or close proximity to the occupant. Therestraint may also be positioned vertically to adjust for occupant size.The restraint may also be rotated, positioned laterally, and positionedvertically all in one implementation.

In one embodiment, the lateral restraint is rotated by a motor. In oneversion of this embodiment, the motor is used for occupant controlledadjustment of the lateral restraint position during normal operation forcomfort, and automatically rotates to a safety position in response tothe sensor signal. In another embodiment the lateral restraint isrotated by a spring rotator, such that the spring is released inresponse to the sensor signal. The spring loaded implementation alsosupports manual adjustment of the restraint position. In a furtherembodiment the lateral restraint is rotated by a pyro-technic device,such that the pyro is fired in response to the sensor signal.

Another embodiment contains a locking device to secure the lateralrestraint in the safety position. In one version, a stop is insertedwhen the restraint reaches the desired point of rotation. In a furtherembodiment the sensor(s) communicates with smart safety system, and theaction of the lateral restraints is controlled by the safety system. Inanother embodiment, the lateral restraint is partially deployed when theseat is occupied, and fully deployed in response to the sensor signal.

In one embodiment, the side restraint is unrolled in response to thesensor signal. In another, the lateral restraint is part of the seat,such the seat is pre-stressed to assume a shape with lateral restraintdeployed. The seat is held in the non-deployed shape by a rigid internalstructure, and the internal structure is rendered non rigid in responsethe sensor signal such that the seat assumes a shape with lateralrestraints deployed.

In another embodiment the sensor signal is triggered by one or more ofthe following: a rollover condition, a side impact, an anticipatoryevent such as a side slip or a collision detection system signal, or thevehicle commencing operation. In one embodiment, the collision detectionsystem is a radar collision detection system. In a further embodiment,if no collision results from the anticipatory event, the restraints arereturned to their pre-event position.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The detailed description of how to make and use the invention will befacilitated by referring to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 shows an exemplary seat with the restraints not deployed.

FIG. 2 shows the restraints after deployment

FIG. 3 shows a top view of the preferred embodiment.

FIG. 4 illustrates the operation of the lateral restraints.

FIG. 5 shows one embodiment of the invention

FIG. 6 shows another embodiment.

FIG. 7 shows a further embodiment

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to FIG. 1, a vehicle seat 1 is shown. This seat may be of avariety of designs known in the art. Shown also are two lateralrestraints 2 which are depicted in a non-deployed position. Preferably,two restraints will be used, one on each side, although the inventionapplies equally to the case where only one restraint is used. Thenon-deployed position may be anywhere that the design of the vehicleallows for and is convenient to the occupant for non-accidentconditions. Thus the restraints, for example, may be advantageously in aposition that allows for easy entrance into the seat when not deployed.

FIG. 2 shows the seat 1 with the restraints 2 deployed. The deployedposition ideally should be such that the occupant is substantiallyprevented from moving laterally, but not such that the occupant is heldtoo tight. The deployed position is shown at 90 degrees to the seatback. As will be described later, the actual deployed position is seatdependent. For vehicles with occupant sensing and intelligent safetysystems, the restraints may be adaptable for different occupants.

The detailed operation of the invention is as follows. Referring to FIG.3, the side restraints 2 are shown as rotatable members. Otherconfigurations are possible. For instance the side restraints could bearranged such that they moved forward from pockets or the side of theseat when deployed. However, the inventors feel that rotating toward theoccupant is the safest way to deploy side restraints, and thus rotatingmembers is the preferred implementation. The restraints, as shown in thefigure, may be in a variety of deployed and non-deployed positions,within the scope of the invention. The exact deployed and non-deployedpositions depend on vehicle design. It is important to understand that adesign that allows for both a fully stowed and a fully deployedcapability is the most complete implementation of the invention. Howeverany implementation is desirable that allows the occupant access to theseat and the ability to operate the vehicle, but still provides a degreeof lateral restraint in the event of an accident.

The invention includes a trigger to cause deployment of the restraintsand a mechanism to accomplish the deployment. It is contemplated thatthe vehicle will have sensors that will sense different types ofaccident or operational events that would cause deployment. Applicableevents include rollover, side impact, and oblique impact accidents. Siderestraints on the window side, in conjunction with other rollover safetysystems, would be highly beneficial in a rollover accident. The rolloversensor, either directly or through a smart safety system controller,would initiate the deployment of the restraints. Oblique and sideimpacts are much faster than rollover accidents, so it would bebeneficial to begin deployment of a mechanical restraint as early aspossible. Other possible trigger events include detection of a vehicleside slip, and collision detection, such as by radar. Such systems areincreasingly available on vehicles. For an anticipatory deployment, itwould be advantageous for the smart safety system to remember thepredeployment position of the restraints, and in the event no accidenttakes place, return the restraints to the predeployed configuration. Itis also possible to deploy the side restraints as soon as the seat isoccupied, or the vehicle begins to move, at least to a useful extent. Analternative is to partially deploy the restraints when the seat isoccupied, such that full deployment in an emergency situation requiresless time.

Many materials and construction techniques for the restraints will beapparent to one skilled in the art. Conventional cushions, cushions thatinclude airbags, or airbags alone are all possible choices. Structuresthat compress, including modern designs that compress with asubstantially constant spring force are also suitable. The size andshape will vary with the seat design and available space.

Referring to FIG. 4, the restraint 2 is connected by a couplingmechanism, 4, typically a rotatable shaft, to an actuator 5. Dependingon the type of actuator, a locking mechanism 3 may be required to keepthe restraint in the deployed position. Several different actuator typesmay be employed in the invention. One type of actuator is a motor. Thesensor signal would trigger high speed rotation of the motor axis, whichin turn rotates the restraint. The advantage of a motor actuator is thatit also provides the possibility of powered user adjustment of therestraints during normal vehicle operation. The motor implementationwould operate similarly to the invention described in co-pendingapplication Ser. No. 10/807,325. Normal power adjustment of therestraints could operate at lower speed, while accident deployment wouldtrigger a high power operation of the motor resulting in high speedrotation of the restraints. The motor implementation could support botha measured deployment rotation, with a device such as a rotary encoder,or rotate to a stop. Depending on the type of motor and coupling, thelocking mechanism may not be required. The advantage of the motorimplementation is straightforward compatibility with memory functionssuch as described above for anticipatory triggers, or simply to rememberoccupant characteristics. The occupant selected position of the lateralrestraints could be remembered for each occupant along with the otheroccupant selected seat positions currently remembered by many existingpowered seats.

A variety of spring actuators known in the art may be employed at 5.Spring actuators typically will require the locking mechanism 3. Alocking mechanism could be as simple as spring loaded pin (or pins) thatis released into a slot when the restraint reaches the point of desiredrotation. Many suitable locking mechanisms will suggest themselves toone skilled in the art. Spring loaded implementations with lockingmechanisms also lend themselves to user manual adjustment of therestraint position, similarly to the operation of manual recliningmechanisms. A pyro-technic mechanism similar to those employed in seatbelt pretensioners may also be employed. The sensor signal triggers thepyro-technic piston which rolls up a cable or belt, attached to theshaft 4. The roll-up causes the restraint shaft to rotate. A pyroactuator will likely require a locking mechanism

In many vehicles, a smart safety controller may be employed. Such asystem will accept the various sensor signals, such as the rolloversensor, and make decisions about safety device deployment depending on avariety of measured factors. Such factors are occupant presence, size,and weight. In such a system, the side restraint deployment may bemodified according to the factors. For instance, for a large seatoccupant, the amount of rotation of the restraints may be less than fora smaller occupant. For the implementation of the invention with motoractuators and encoders, fine control of restraint deployment could beeasily achieved. Or, the restraints could have sensors built in toindicate when the restraint has contacted the occupant, or is close tothe occupant, and cease rotation accordingly.

Other deployment mechanisms are contemplated as well. Referring to FIG.5, the side restraint may be rolled up in the non-deployed position suchthat it is compact and out of the way, as shown at 6. When triggered,the restraint may be unfurled either with pressurized gas similar toairbags, or by releasing a spring unfurling mechanism. Another approachis shown in FIG. 6. The seat back may be constructed such that it ispre-stressed to have a natural shape that provides lateral restraint.The seat can be held in a conventional shape by a rigid structuralsupport 7. The support 7 may be removed in an emergency situation whichwill allow the seat to assume the shape that includes lateral restraint.A variety of ways could be employed to remove the support, such asbreaking it with a pyro charge triggered by a sensor signal.

The inventors believe that providing even a less than optimal degree oflateral restraint will enhance safety. Thus the invention fullycontemplates an implementation that allows for operator access to theseat and than deploys to a level consistent with operating the vehicle.The deployment could occur upon vehicle movement, seat belt fastening,sensing weight on seat, or other simple triggers. However, for vehicleswith more complete safety systems and sensors, it is desirable tooptimize the amount of lateral restraint for each occupant. As shown inFIG. 7, to truly optimize for a wide variety of vehicle sizes, it may beadvantageous to adjust the restraints laterally as well as rotationally.Additional actuators 7 are shown which provide this additionaladjustment. The most convenient implementation of actuator 7 is a motordriven screw. Other actuators will suggest themselves to one skilled inthe art. The use of actuators 7 with appropriate sensing allow for thelateral restraint to be positioned at an optimum angle for a range ofoccupant sizes. During deployment the restraints could be moved inwarduntil either contact or proximity to the occupant is sensed. Then therestraints could be rotated appropriately. Alternatively, although notoptimum, particularly for the inboard side, the restraint could bealways at the correct orientation, and simply moved in to the rightposition laterally. It also is advantageous to adjust the restraintsvertically to accommodate different sized occupants. Thus anotherembodiment of the invention also includes vertical actuators. Apreferred implementation of the vertical actuators is to use motors andoccupant sensors to optimally position the restraints vertically for aparticular occupant. Thus the invention my encompass rotational, lateraland vertical positioning of the restraints to best fit an occupant.

1. a safety system for a vehicle, comprising: a seat, at least onesensor for detecting a condition requiring deployment of safety devices;and, at least one lateral restraint wherein in response to a signal fromthe sensor, a side restraint is deployed on at least one side of theseat to reduce lateral displacement of the seat occupant.
 2. The safetysystem of claim 1, wherein the lateral restraint is deployed by beingrotated into position such that after deployment, the restraint servesas a side barrier.
 3. The safety system of claim 2 wherein the lateralrestraint is rotated by a motor.
 4. The safety system of claim 3,wherein the motor is used for occupant controlled adjustment of thelateral restraint position during normal operation, and automaticallyrotates to a safety position in response to the sensor signal.
 5. Thesafety system of claim 2 wherein the lateral restraint is rotated byspring rotator, such that the spring is released in response to thesensor signal.
 6. The safety system of claim 2 wherein the lateralrestraint is rotated by a pyro-technic actuator, such that thepyro-technic is fired in response to the sensor signal.
 7. The safetysystem of claim 2 further comprising a locking device to secure thelateral restraint in the safety position.
 8. The locking device of claim7 wherein a stop is inserted when the restraint reaches the desiredpoint of rotation.
 9. The safety system of claim 1 wherein the sensor(s)communicates with smart safety system, and the action of the lateralrestraints is controlled by the safety system.
 10. The safety system ofclaim 1 wherein the lateral restraint is partially deployed when theseat is occupied, and fully deployed in response to the sensor signal.11. The safety system of claim 1 wherein the side restraint is unrolledin response to the sensor signal.
 12. The safety system of claim 1wherein; the lateral restraint is part of the seat, the seat ispre-stressed to assume a shape with lateral restraint deployed, the seatis held in the non-deployed shape by a rigid internal structure, and;the internal structure is rendered non rigid in response to the sensorsignal such that the seat assumes a shape with lateral restraintsdeployed.
 13. The safety system of claim 1 wherein the sensor signal istriggered by at least one of; a rollover condition, a side or obliqueimpact, a collision anticipatory event, or; the vehicle commencingoperation.
 14. The safety system of claim 13 where the anticipatoryevent is a side slip.
 15. The safety system of claim 14 where theanticipatory event is an approaching object detected by a collisiondetection system.
 16. The safety system of claim 15 wherein thecollision detection system is a radar collision detection system. 17.The safety system of claim 14 where if no collision results from theanticipatory event, the lateral restraints are returned to the positionbefore deployment.
 18. The safety system of claim 1 wherein deploymentincludes the lateral restraints being moved laterally until they contactor are in proximity to the occupant.
 19. The safety system of claim 1wherein deployment includes the lateral restraints being movedvertically to adjust for occupants of varying size.
 20. The safetysystem of claim 5 wherein the lateral restraints may be manuallyadjusted by the user.